Why do you hate TV commercials?

[Bossy Monkey]

Poll question: Why do you hate TV commercials?

Of course the answer is All of the Above, but try to pick one. Or you can always reply with All of the Above below, thereby kicking my thread. I won't mind.:)

[Jamastiene]

1. WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SAY? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!!

I WAS WATCHING TV AT BARELY A WHISPER VOLUME AND A COMMERCIAL CAME ON!!! I MAY BE DEAFENED FOR LIFE NOW BECAUSE OF THAT SHIT. WHY MUST THEY HAVE THE COMMERCIALS SO LOUD?

[Bossy Monkey]

4. Was cooking dinner about 20 feet from a pretty quiet TV last night

Couldn't hear the programming at all, but I could hear the commercials perfectly. Isn't that great?

[Deja Q]

2. Reasons:

1. The music
* "caring" piano
* "sexy" jazz
* any of it
* even the lack of music

2. The content
I do not need to be patronized about product x or tonic y. They exist in the stores, I know where to find them, if the store lacks it I will go online. Besides, I know how to read and therefore go to magazines and even newspapers before I turn on the television -- and given a chance to do graphic design in print media, I'd outdo the trained apes in an attosecond too.

3. Product placement
Often, commercials avoid the actual product in favor of a tangential scenario, which tries to get the consumer to believe he will be just as happy if he buys product x.

4. The patronizing
Being told umpteen times what the product does, and in terms a toddler could understand - don't waste my time. Never mind that crass piano music to give the faux impression they caaaaaare for us, *sniffle*...

[Bossy Monkey]

5. Not a commercial, but about that piano thing...

There was a show on CourtTV (when they were still CourtTV) about a Florida DLE profiler named Dayle Hinman. All the music for the show was irritating, but whenever the narrator got around to talking about Ms. Hinman, they'd fire up the piano theme. I don't know if they were trying to convey femininity or what, but it always irritated the shit out of me. (It also somewhat creepily echoed "Tubular Bells," but this is beside the point.) I don't think Henry Lee got a delicate little piano theme for his show.

Anyway, as regards commercials, I mainly hear the piano thing in commercials for drugs or for the Bill Frist's Memorial Bank Account Hospital. "You have cancer (spooky cello music, say). You're scared. You don't know where to turn. (Cue piano) But try Vomitol/ our hospital and all will be bright and sunny again." Yeah, I AM that stupid...

[hippywife]

3. Other: All of the above. n/t

[flvegan]

6. Every lawyer running an ad makes them look incredibly stupid.

Not just stupid, but condescending and patronizing. I revere the trade and hate that this is the portrayal most folks get.

And the audio levels. That should be illegal. Actually, show me an ad for a lawyer wanting to take on the increased audio levels of advertising, and I'd be thrilled.

Oh, and Shamwow! ruined my life. It didn't absorb all the cola, and my carpet got the mildew. :cry:

[Bossy Monkey]

8. Call Vince immediately; what the hell is he wearing that headset for anyway? n/t

[azmouse]

7. Someone once told me commercials could be grouped into 4 categories:

You're old.
You're ugly.
You're fat.
You're stupid.

Try it. Think of any commercial and chances are it fits one of these categories.

[BlueJazz]

9. I voted for the "Geico" thing. I despise that little corporate Lizard. I think a trip..

..to the Microwave will do him a lot of good.

..Plus the fact that their commercials are written for idiots.

[Auggie]

10. The whole idea behind commercials was to bring us free TV

But the proliferation in the last 10-20 years, plus the lower value sponsors put into creative thinking, and the greed of the networks is killing the concept. The ability to tolerate inane and repititive messages is no longer worth the time to do so. Leave it to corporate America to ruin yet another concept in the lust for profit.

Except for live events, we watch very little that is not recorded. And I must say, having spent a near lifetime in the ad biz, it pains me to say this.

[harmonicon]

11. the volume, all the way

God, how I can't stand it - it's the case with radio as well.

[LeftyMom]

12. TV what? I have a DVR.

I love when people ask me "have you seen that commercial for..." and I can say "no" no matter what it is.

[spindrifter]

13. But WAIT!! There's MORE!!!

[tigereye]

14. my son thinks I am such an old fart for insisting on muting as many of em

as possible.


he seems to think he might miss something important. :eyes:

[JTG of the PRB]

15. HEY THERE! BILLY MAYES HERE WITH YET ANOTHER PRODUCT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT!

HOW DO I KNOW YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT? BECAUSE I'M HAWKING IT ON TV AND SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS! THE LOUDER I GET, THE LESS LIKELY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT THESE AMAZING PRODUCTS! HOW DO I KNOW THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING PRODUCT I'VE EVER HAWKED? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ME THIS LOUD? NO YOU HAVEN'T! THAT'S HOW I KNOW THAT, IF YOU GO WITHOUT THIS, YOU AND YOUR WHOLE FAMILY WILL SOMEHOW PERISH! THAT'S NOW MUCH YOU NEED THIS IMPOSSIBLE-TO-RESIST NEW PRODUCT OF A SLIGHTLY QUESTIONABLE NATURE! ORDER NOW!!!!!!!

:argh:

[NoPasaran]

16. In Soviet Union, commercials hate you!